Recent "surprisingly good" products

I love when you a product you didn't have high hopes for or bought on a whim, surprises you and turns out to work amazing well. I want to hear what other people's "surprise products" have been.

My recent "surprises" have been:

Real Techniques Brushes (Travel Essentials Kit)- I happened to see them in the store and I had heard good things about them online, plus the brushes felt incredibly soft and the price was great ($20 for a foundation brush, eye shadow brush, multi-task face brush, and travel case/stand). These have turned out to be great! I usually apply foundation with my fingers, just because I find it blends into my skin better,but this foundation brush has me converted. It is a little fluffier than traditional liquid foundation brushes, so I think it helps to blend better. And the eyeshadow brush, is great, even though it is fluffier it doesn't sheer out the shadow as I apply it, so color is easilly built up. And the multi-task brush is wonderful to use for everything, powder, blush, bronzer, whatever.

Victoria's Secret Makeup- I picked up a few items at their semi-annual clearance sale, since they were a great price, some eyeshadows, a luminizer, lip stick and lip gloss. For the most part I have had really good experience with their makeup, the quality is usually really good, and the prices are great (about the same prices as the more costly drugstore brands). With the exception of one eyeshadow that I had to really work at to build up color, everything is really good. Shadows have great color payoff, easy to blend and last all day (with primer), The luminzer is nice without looking like a glitter bomb exploded on my face, and the lip products have great color payoff (except those meant to be sheer) and last moderately long (5-6 hours)

Re: Recent "surprisingly good" products

oh i JUST recently discovered Real Techniques and Eco Tools brushes. they are really great! super super soft and since they're synthetic they dry so quickly.

My pleasant surprise of 2012 was Maybelline's Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation. It's just perfect for me, formulated for dry skin, buildable to medium coverage, does not look as bad as other foundations over dry patches. The only other foundation I've ever repurchased when it was done, was Lancome's Teinte Idole Ultra, which sadly has been discontinued

Re: Recent "surprisingly good" products

Yeah in Dec I got the EcoTools Bamboo Face Powder brush and use it daily now. Then I got the Real Techniques Blush Brush (which is exactly the same shape as the Sephora Domed Powder brush that I love so much) which is suuuuuuper plushy. They should make a plushy stuffed toy out of that stuff, it's so soft! Anyways I shampoo my brushes frequently so I prefer the convenience of synthetics that dry faster.

I guess other "wins" were discovering that L'Oreal's Lineur Intense felt-tip eyeliner had the EXACT same felt-tip as Lancome's Artliner. Also L'Oreal's Infallible cream-to-powder shadows are the EXACT same formula as Lancome's 24H Color Design Infinite. Since L'Oreal owns Lancome I guess that's not too surprising.

Re: Recent "surprisingly good" products

I feel the same way about the Real Techniques brushes, they are very very good at such a great price! I started off with that same set as you and I keep adding to the collection. I haven't found one that I don't like yet

I was also pleasantly surprised by Coastal Scents eyeshadows. They are dirt cheap and I heard good things about them so I decided to give them a try. The quality is actually decent (not nearly as good as UD or MAC, but still very nice.). I used my CS palatte today and realized I should really reach for it more often.

I have been really happy with a drugstore shampoo called Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Total Care Nourishing Shampoo. It's great -- really moisturizing and it smells lovely.

I think I mentioned this in another thread, but I LOVE Anthony Logistics Glycolic cleanser. I had been using Skinceuticals glycolic cleanser, but I have to order it (and I forgot to do so before I ran out). I bought this from Sephora, and I didn't think I would like it; it feels like lotion and it didn't seem as if it would rinse away entirely. Long story short, I wound up adoring it; I think the consistency leaves my skin much softer than others I have used. It's so nourishing! I've probably gone through three bottles at this point

This isn't too recent, but I tried La Roche-Posay's Respectissime mascara randomly (in a pinch, while traveling) and now I swear by it. I had zero expectations of it because it's a skincare line's mascara for sensitive eyes -- which doesn't exactly scream dramatic false eyelash effect, which is what I always want in a mascara (natural is lovely, but not for me!). It makes my lashes appear ridiculously thick and long, and for me, the only other mascara that compares is YSL Faux Cils (which I also use when I forget to order enough of this online).

Re: Recent "surprisingly good" products

I heard a lot about that Clear shampoo. I think I may give that a try when I run out of my clarifying shampoo from Lush (just repurchased another bottle). Sounds like this may be a good cheaper alternative!